MovieChat Forums > Mommie Dearest (1981) Discussion > hardly a bad film at all...

hardly a bad film at all...


It just has some serious flaws regarding editing, pacing, and overall scene structure that make some of Joan Crawford's outbursts seem a little ridiculous. Still, the acting is very good (fuck you, Faye Dunaway was great) and the movie successfully conveys the ill effects of narcissism and fame obsession on parenting (something not shown very often in film).

Dunaway's antics may seem over-the-top, and maybe it is in places, but people like this do exist in real-life. Hell, I can even think of a few instances with my mother growing up that reflected certain scenes in the film. If they ever make an accurate Madonna biopic in the future, chances are, it'd probably be something like this. Maybe then, people will take it more seriously.

Discuss...

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Faye Dunaway's performance was, um, memorable.

She was playing someone who was bipolar I think, so the over the top overreacting is somewhat justified.

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I think it's really the wire-hanger scene that turned this film into a camp classic for so many. Without it, the rest of the film honestly isn't that hard to swallow. If that scene had more build-up leading up to it, and if it wasn't placed immediately after a scene of her winning an Oscar, it may not have sparked such unintentional hilarity. As is, it's a considerable flaw in the film.

Bipolarism is certainly a justifiable excuse for her over-the-top performance. However, it should also be of note that many dedicated actors and performers have tendencies to act somewhat theatrical in real-life. So there's that.

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"Discuss..."

Fuck YOU.

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Fuck you too.

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Uncalled for.

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People complain that the movie exaggerated Crawford's abusive outbursts, but movies based on real life events always exaggerate.

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